Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-17
AN INTERCEPTED LETTER
In which William e. Burnette. the Bigamis
Acknowledges His Wife and Child.


/ 1t will be remembered that Burnette in hi
preliminary hearing before Judge Wake
stoutly maintained that the alleged Mrs
Brunette was not his wife He had failed il
proving the marriage Illegal on account o
the relationship existing between himself ant
wife; likewise in showing any legal separa
ton; and, if it may be judged from cross-ex
amin alton, was about TO endeavor to over
throw the identity Of Mrs. Burnette by in
PRODUCING evidence showing that she was
Miss Richardson of Lyons.
Since his hearing be has been confined a
the county Jail and been compelled t
take the same treatment as the othe pris
oners. His wife has not been to Sc,
him. Yesterday letter of the utmost i'm
portance in the case was Intercepted il
which he makes full confession of his crime
1t is thought by some who have seen the let
ter that it was written with the intention Of
effecting a compromise with Mrs. Burnette
and thus have Ter to dismiss the suit now
pending against him and he go free.
Whatever may have been his purpose the
principal parts Of the epistle are here pro
duced.
| WICHITA, KAN, Aug. Il, 1887.
| SUNDAY FORENOON, 11:30.
| Ny own dear wife and daughter: | write
this trusting you will not let anyone see 1t
until youshave both went to your room by
| yourselves and read this all over and thought
| it all over and then don't let anyone see it
! until after you have been here to see me.
This is not a very pleasant place for you to
| come, but l want you to come, just the same,
and as often as you can. Mr.. Chas. Ford
was here to see me this forenoon and | told
him if he would come again Tuesday fore.
noon l would have a letter ready for you and
he said he would come. l have to take con-
siderable time to write this as there are lots
of things that / want to say to you, and it
will take all the time l have between now
and then for me to think of them. x He
told me you had no hard feelings toward me
and that is very much contrary to what |
thought, for thought that all your true,
pure love for me had turned to hate, and if
it has / can say that | am happy to think
that some not far distant day can be re-
stored to my dear wife and daughter l do
fully ard truly acknowledge that you are my
wife and child and that | have wronged you,
but don't think that should be held wholly
accountable for all l have done, for | do
honestly believe that there are times when |
don't have my right mind, for there are a
great many things that have been told that
have transpired that have recollection of.
Some things | do remember and
same l do not, but Mag, nv true and devot-
ed wife, | have never ceased to love you just
the same as ever and God knows | have al
ways loved you truly and devotedly with all
my heart and what is more | always shall.
L have not been shaved since | have been
in here so | do not look much as l do when |
shaved clean, but it is me your devoted hus- |
band and papa just the same, and God knows
| truly wish we were all at our home as we |
used to be for when we were there we were
always happy and took SO much comfort |
Oh, can it be that me your husband is here |
behind these iron bars when l should be free |
with you my own dear wife and family. |
Then followed a reference to the prepare |
ton for the future, and his promise to work |
hard during the coming winter to support
his family. The next letter was written
Sunday afternoon, 20. After description |
of his place of confinement and the prisoners,
be writes:
Mag, 1 don't know why left New York
without bringing you and Vera with me. l
don't know why l ever done it, and God
knows that when am once more free from
this awful place III never again leave you.
his is the turning point of my life
,Cr since l have experienced something
hat l never did before and that is ''religin.
The Salvation Army comes here for an hour
every Sunday forenoon and the W. G. 7. U.
in the afternoon and l have thought the
matter seriously over several times that l
would like to lead a Christian life with you,
my dear wife, and would like to bring
Up our dear little daughter to be Christian
And last night before | went to sleep tryed
% see what prayer would do for me- pray
ID that might get some good news today
thinking and trusting that the good Lord
would take pity on me and answer my prayer
md he did and l thank him for it and l
hall in the future endeavor to lead Chris
ian life. The good news | got was what
Mr.. Ford brought me that you had no hard (
less against me, and that you would come S
md see me know that in the past | have ,
made fun of religion, but always in the future
will try to lead an honest Christian life;
md | want you to do the same, and together
We will bring up our little dear to live the
hall for you and Dora, and for the good
Iord to watch over and protect you while I
I'M separated from you, and to restore us to &
ach other, and to restore us to each other in
he near future. 1t may seem strange to
'os that l would experience religion and S
ave the love of the good Lord to enter my
cart in such place. | see by
he papers that l have read that the feeling
ere in Wichita is greatly against
ne, and have been told there has i
cen some talk of lynching me- r
ut think it is only a rumor, still l don't
now.
Monday afternoon another letter is witten, =
'hich opens with series of complaints and
rivations to which he is subject
Every letter that is received or sent out
rom here is read by the sheriff or some of Il
he keepers. q
Fave Mrs. Abbott or some one to come
nth you, for it will be less embarrassing for
on then to come alone. | shall count the
ours until you come, for | am very anxious o
D see you. Now don't let anyone see this
.tter that will take it out of your sight, for
here has been enough in the papers about
lie now and if they get chance they would
ublIsh this letter too and it isn't necessary.
am satisfied and so are you that we are man Z
nd wife. | will tell you something when |
on come that dare not write. G.
Magg with all the love of my true and de- r
oted heart for you and Vera, | will close
Dr. this time. hoping to hear from you soon c
nd see you tomorrow. My prayer is that t
cd Will watch over and protect you, and g
oliver me from this borrid place soon. Ever
our devoted husband, y
vs.. E. BURNETTE, o
5ll \ Market St
CHRISTOPHkR's CASE. Ii